BCCI confirm changes will be made to 2023 Cricket World Cup schedule

Secretary Jay Shah did not confirm which fixtures would be affected but said a number of cricket boards had contacted the BCCI to highlight logistical challenges with the schedule

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has confirmed a number of changes will be made to the 2023 Cricket World Cup schedule.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on October 5, with England facing New Zealand in Ahmedabad. The revised fixture list is expected in the next few days.

Shah did not confirm which fixtures would be affected but did say a number of cricket boards had contacted the BCCI to highlight logistical challenges with the original schedule.

Match venues are not expected to change but they are looking to alter the gaps between fixtures.

"There is a possibility there could be few changes in the schedule" Shah said after a BCCI meeting in Delhi on July 27.

^{Defending champions are due to kick off the World Cup with a rematch of the 2019 final against New Zealand [Getty Images]}

"Several Full Member countries have written in requesting to change two or three dates in the schedule. We are working out with the ICC, and we should be able to clear it in two or three days.

"As far as possible, we are looking at not changing the venue as well as the matches. Not changing the venue is very important. Teams which have six-day gaps between matches, we are trying to reduce it to four-five days; and those that have just two-day gaps, we are trying to increase to three days."

One fixture which has been rumoured to be at the heart of the discussions is India's match against Pakistan in Ahmedabad (October 15), with concerns about how the match will be policed given it clashes with a Hindu festival.

Shah, however, rubbished these claims, adding: "If security was an issue then why would the match go there (to Ahmedabad)? [October] 14-15 is not the problem.

"Two or three boards have written in, asking to change based on the logistical challenges. There are some matches where there is only a two-day gap, so it will be difficult to play and then travel next day [and then play again]."